England Men's Deaf Futsal team are heading to the World Championships, but won't be funded by the FA; the costs are being covered by one of the players' fathers who says he spent over £100,000 in the past two years; Meanwhile, the Women's team head to Sao Paolo fully funded
Tuesday 7 November 2023 15:50, UK
England Men's Deaf Futsal team are flying out to the World Championships this week with no funding from the FA as costs have instead been covered by a father of one of the players.
Steve Down, the father of Byron, says he stepped in to help the team financially after the governing body withdrew its funding in 2019 and has spent over £100,000 in the past two years.
"This is playing for England; it's the pinnacle," said Steve.
"It's making memories. I don't think, especially some of Byron's deaf friends, who he plays futsal with, should not have that opportunity just because of funding.
"I'm in a fortunate position that I can help, and if it's helping him, then it's important to me," he added.
Byron's been a part of the team since he was 15. Now 25, he says he feared for the team when the FA withdrew its funding.
"I was gutted because I thought I'd lost all hope, and I just felt heartbroken because it felt like I'd lost everything I'd trained for," he said.
It's a different story for the women's side, who head to Sao Paulo fully funded by the FA, fresh from their Euros win last year.
The FA says it funds men's 11-a-side disability football instead of Futsal, and women's Futsal instead of football, after conversations with relevant teams and to mirror other nations' decisions for football and Futsal provision.
An FA statement read: "Our decision to switch the focus of the England Deaf Women's team from the 11-a-side format to the Futsal format addresses the need for a new approach for the pathway and to ensure regular international opportunities for players to perform on the world stage.
"The funding for this activity is repurposed from the 11-a-side deaf female provision and is not a new investment into a Futsal programme.
"The new focus also mirrors the decisions made by other nations who are respected in deaf international football and Futsal provision, with deaf female Futsal being the preferred format of the game for an increasing number of nations."
But England Men's Deaf Futsal team head coach Marcos Leon said: "I don't think any teams at this stage of international level should be fighting to try and get funds raised or get support."
A top four finish in Brazil would mean qualification to the Deaflympics in February next year.
"My expectation is nothing less than winning the tournament, I always have high expectations," said Marcos.
The side kick off their tournament against Switzerland on November 10.
